On 4 November, the day when the last date of withdrawal of nominations in Maharashtra Assembly elections ended at 3 PM, intense internecine warfare, reorientations of strategy and a few twists and turns have left an indelible mark on the politics involved. Here is a piece-by-piece account of the highlights:
1. MVA Rebels Stand Firm Despite Senior Leaders’ Warnings
Leaders in the top rungs of the MVA and also Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) and NCP's Sharad Pawar (SP) also gave stern warnings to rebel candidates to withdraw lest they suffer vote division. While many did so, quite a few rebels refused, which led to three-cornered contests in many constituencies.
2. Kolhapur North Abruptly Loses MVA’s Official Candidate
In a surprising turn of events, Congress's Madhurima Raje, daughter-in-law of MP Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati, withdrew her nomination in Kolhapur North, leaving the MVA empty-handed and furious with Satej Patil, one of Congress, for what he had been working on lately to keep tensions in line. Congress now decided it would support the Congress rebel Rajesh Latkar in the fray.
3. Versova’s Three-Way Contest Set in Stone
The rebel candidate in Versova comes within the Shiv Sena (UBT) party as a former councilor Raju Pednekar has refused to withdraw his independent candidacy from challenging MVA's official candidate, Haroon Khan. And this refusal will pave a pathway for a tough three-cornered battle between BJP's Bharati Lavekar, MVA's Haroon Khan and Raju Pednekar.
4. Byculla and Dharavi Rebels Withdraw, Avoiding Internal Division
Byculla and Dharavi witnessed a short term of confusion. Former Congress MLA Madhu Chavan of Shiv Sena (UBT) filed as an independent in Byculla, and Baburao Mane did similarly in Dharavi against Congress's Jyoti Gaikwad. In both cases, they retracted, and the MVA was back to unity in those constituencies again.
5. Resistance in Shinde’s Bastion: Pachpakhadi-Kopri Constituency
Pachpakhadi-Kopri in Thane is the constituency represented by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, which has been facing resistance from Congress rebels. Manoj Shinde and Suresh Patil Khede refused to back out, while Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Kedar Dighe is the MVA's official candidate in the fray for a crucial seat.
6. Unyielding Rebels in Pen, Panvel, and Alibaug
In Alibaug, Surendra Mhatre of Shiv Sena (UBT) relented following a direct appeal by Uddhav Thackeray after the alignment has been officially announced under the MVA. However, Pen and Panvel stood pat by the rebels of Thackeray faction, showing not a single sign of wavering and thus still very defiant in the camp.
7. Nashik Central Sees Withdrawal After Initial Resistance
In Nashik Central, Congress's Hemlata Patil was in the fray as an independent, reportedly aggrieved by MVA as it had given the nod to Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Vasant Gite, as she could not get her nomination. She did withdraw, though, ending the temporary relief that gave to MVA leaders for factional splits.
8. Ahmednagar City in Turmoil as Shiv Sena Rebel Holds Ground
Traditionally a stronghold of Shiv Sena, the Ahmednagar City seat was controversially given to NCP's Abhishek Kalmkar under MVA. This made Shiv Sena (UBT) district chief Shashikant Gade revolt and file as an independent. Despite repeated appeals by party leaders, Gade is still in the fray, which will make it difficult for MVA in this constituency.
9. Rebel Setback in Indapur
In Indapur constituency, former NCP (SP) candidate from BJP, was officially nominated, and gave the Congress candidate Pravin Mane the split. Sharad Pawar himself tried to coax Mane to withdraw; but the latter preferred remaining in the fray as independent against Mahayuti candidate Datta Bharane, and MVA candidate, Patil, in three-horse race.
10. Beed District Sees Kshirsagar Family Rift Continue
Mahayuti had nominated Yogesh Kshirsagar in Beed, while the MVA-backed Sandeep Kshirsagar later dropped out. Here is the new entrant, Jyoti Mete, who filed as an independent and refused to withdraw, bringing in a flavor of family rivalry and political complexity in the contest.
11. Nagpur East’s Intense Three-Way Battle
The MVA's Nagpur East, ceded to NCP (SP), saw its candidate, Duneswar Pathe, come under pressure from both Congress and NCP (SP) rebels who have been unyielding. That refusal added another tense battlefield to the MVA's internal struggles.
Conclusion:
With the withdrawal deadline having passed on November 4, Maharashtra's Assembly elections have finally crystallized into a contest marked by rebellion, shifting alliances, and fierce rivalries. As MVA leaders try to stifle dissent and bring their base together, the independent and rebel candidates' continued persistence has thrown up new challenges for all parties involved, making this election potentially unpredictable.
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